Hello! Happy Friday and happy July! We’re halfway through this year, a moment marked at the farm by tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and fragrant bunches of basil to dress it all. This week, we’re here with several announcements and some tips for a successful U-Pick experience.

ANNOUNCEMENT 1: 

Our 2021 Tomato U-Pick is HERE! We’ve scheduled two U-Pick dates: Saturday July 10th & Saturday, July 17th from 8am-1pm. The U-Pick is happening at our Garfield farm located at 4008 River Road, Garfield, 78612. Fill a box to the brim of our organic, homegrown tomatoes for just $30 ($25 for CSA Members). No need to pre-purchase a box this year. For U-Pick pro-tips, keep reading!

ANNOUNCEMENT 2: 

Beginning next Monday, we are once again accepting volunteers at our Garfield Farm! When Covid-19 became a reality last March, we paused our volunteer program, and only now are hitting the play button again. Since our JBG’s inception in 2004, we’ve always invited volunteers to the farm in one capacity or another. This is the longest stint we’ve gone without hosting the community on the farm, and we are beyond excited to resume. Meeting the community, face to face, can do a lot for a farmer’s morale in the dog days of summer! At this time, we are only accepting volunteers at our Garfield location. Per usual, volunteers are thanked with a big box of freshly-harvested veggies. To RSVP for a volunteer spot, simply fill out this Google Form which can also be found on our Volunteer Page. Jamie Lee will confirm your spot with an email. 

ANNOUNCEMENT 3:
We are doing a market makeover and are reverting our booth setup to its pre-covid glory! In some ways, it seems like only yesterday that we had to swiftly adapt our entire operation in response to Covid-19. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been using the modified market setup for almost a year and a half. It’s become rather normal, and for some of our market staff who were hired during the pandemic, they don’t know anything else! We are very happy to revert to our “old” setup. The main difference will be that you are now welcome inside our market stand. No more tables blocking your entry, no more ‘ordering’ your vegetables from a JBG staff member. Just like the good ole’ days, you can knock on your watermelon, smell your basil, and choose the vegetable that speaks to you. Baskets are back, and maybe even tablecloths, too. CSA Members who pickup at market: Rejoice! You can once again swap out items from your box with items from our market stand. Please check in with our staff to do this. Together, we’ll all get used to the new-old normal.

ANNOUNCEMENT 4:

Last, it is with extreme emotion that we announce the fact that Krishna, our beloved leader and operations manager of many years, has retired from farm life. Of course, we will miss him immensely… we didn’t call him “Papa Krish” for nothing! But we are also filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness and joy for Krishna and his next adventure. His presence at the farm for the past 10+ years has not only shaped the trajectory of our business, but also the individual lives of our employees. There truly aren’t enough words to describe the gratitude we feel for Krishna’s kind, thoughtful, smart,  and important leadership. We will miss you dearly, Krishna! 

Without further ado, 10 Protips for a seamless U-Pick Experience: 

1) Come early and beat the heat! We plan to host the U-Pick rain or shine. It looks like there is some scattered rain forecasted for tomorrow, but we think there will be plenty of sunny moments in-between to pick your tomatoes. In the case of severe weather, we will postpone the event and make an announcement on social media. No cancellation announcement on Instagram or Facebook? U-Pick is on! 

2) Wear appropriate clothing! Despite the heat, we actually recommend wearing long pants (and long sleeve shirts!) to pick your tomatoes. With all this rain, our weeds are just as happy as our tomatoes, and we think you’ll be more comfortable with pants, closed-toed shoes, and long sleeve shirts. This is how us farmers dress! Also, it’s worth mentioning, that you shouldn’t wear clothes/shoes that you don’t mind getting at least a little dirty. 

3) Sun protection! Speaking of clothing, don’t forget your hat, sunscreen, and water bottle! The temperature in between the tomato rows can actually be a few degrees warmer than outside… protect yourself!

4) Bring a wagon! Kids are no kids, wagons are a great way to transport your tomatoes from the field to your car. 

5) Improvise. Tomato box getting heavy? Leave your box at the end of the row, and venture down the line and collect ‘maters in your shirt or hat. It’s only natural. 

6) Don't forget to pick a few green tomatoes in addition to all the red ones! Fried green tomatoes are a worthy endeavor, and pickled green cherry tomatoes make the perfect bloody mary garnish. When else can you get your hands on green, cherry tomatoes?

7) Bring a cold bag, and swing by our farmstand to grab some veggies for the week. Did you know you can pick your own flowers at the farm, too?

8) Know where you’re going: Make sure to use our River Road farm address! JBG actually has two locations - the farm where we grow everything (and where you pick your tomatoes!) and our office location. If you just search for “JBG”, Google may lead you to our offices. The address you need is 4008 River Road, Garfield, 78612.

9) Follow the rules: Please, bring all your friends and neighbors… the more the merrier! Your pets, however, are not invited. Sorry, farmers’ rules!

10) Last but not least: sample the product!  Please!